Ray Lewis (runner)
Encyclopedia
Competitor for 
Canada
Raymond "Ray" Gray Lewis, CM
(October 8, 1910 – November 15, 2003) was a Canadian
track and field athlete, and the first Canadian-born black Olympic
medalist.
He was born and died in Hamilton, Ontario
. Lewis was nickname
d Rapid Ray for his speed on the track. While excelling in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metre distances in high school, Lewis was subjected to racism
from coaches, teachers and the public. Despite this, he captured seventeen national championships (including a record four in one day) while a student at Hamilton's Central Collegiate.
Lewis briefly attended Milwaukee's Marquette University
on a scholarship, but returned to Canada after only a semester. He found a position on the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) as a porter during the Great Depression
, a job he would hold for 22 years. Lewis continued training – often running alongside the CPR train tracks during stopovers on the Canadian Prairies
– and won a bronze medal as part of the 4x400 metre relay team at the 1932 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles, California
. In the 400 metre event he was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Two years later he won a silver medal in the mile relay (4×440 yards) at the British Empire Games
(later the Commonwealth Games). In the 440 yards competition he was eliminated in the semi-finals. Narrowly missing the cut for Canada's 1936 Olympic team
, he ran for two more years before retiring after a bout of pain from shin splints (shin splints had caused Lewis problems in the latter portion of his running career). He received greater recognition later in his life, including the Order of Canada
in 2001. In 2002, Canadian author John Cooper
wrote his biography, Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis. The children's book chronicled his youth in Hamilton, as well as his training for the Olympics. A Hamilton school named in his honour, Ray Lewis Elementary, opened in 2005 and is occasionally visited by his widow Vivienne.
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Raymond "Ray" Gray Lewis, CM
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(October 8, 1910 – November 15, 2003) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
track and field athlete, and the first Canadian-born black Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medalist.
He was born and died in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. Lewis was nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d Rapid Ray for his speed on the track. While excelling in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metre distances in high school, Lewis was subjected to racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
from coaches, teachers and the public. Despite this, he captured seventeen national championships (including a record four in one day) while a student at Hamilton's Central Collegiate.
Lewis briefly attended Milwaukee's Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
on a scholarship, but returned to Canada after only a semester. He found a position on the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) as a porter during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, a job he would hold for 22 years. Lewis continued training – often running alongside the CPR train tracks during stopovers on the Canadian Prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
– and won a bronze medal as part of the 4x400 metre relay team at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Canada at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. Despite the games being held during the Great Depression, Canada sent its second largest team to date...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In the 400 metre event he was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Two years later he won a silver medal in the mile relay (4×440 yards) at the British Empire Games
1934 British Empire Games
The 1934 British Empire Games were the second of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games. They were held at the White City Stadium in London, England from 4–11 August 1934, apart from the cycling at Fallowfield Stadium, Manchester, and the swimming, which took place at the Empire Pool in Wembley...
(later the Commonwealth Games). In the 440 yards competition he was eliminated in the semi-finals. Narrowly missing the cut for Canada's 1936 Olympic team
Canada at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Canada competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 97 competitors, 79 men and 18 women, took part in 68 events in 12 sports.- Gold:* Frank Amyot — Canoeing, Men's C-1 1000m- Silver:...
, he ran for two more years before retiring after a bout of pain from shin splints (shin splints had caused Lewis problems in the latter portion of his running career). He received greater recognition later in his life, including the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2001. In 2002, Canadian author John Cooper
John Cooper
John Cooper may refer to:* John A. D. Cooper , American physician & educator* John B.R. Cooper , California pioneer* John Cooper, current director of the Sundance Film Festival...
wrote his biography, Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis. The children's book chronicled his youth in Hamilton, as well as his training for the Olympics. A Hamilton school named in his honour, Ray Lewis Elementary, opened in 2005 and is occasionally visited by his widow Vivienne.